|
Britain, U.S. to Seek U.N. Iraq Resolution, Paper Says
LONDON (Reuters) - Britain and the United States are ready to support a new United Nations resolution on the reconstruction of Iraq, a senior British government minister said in an interview published on Saturday. "Weâre currently looking at the possibilities for another resolution and what that might mean, which issues it would cover," International Development Secretary Baroness Valerie Amos told the Daily Telegraph. The United States, stung by the spiraling cost of policing Iraq, in terms of both money and lives -- is now beginning to see the benefits of a resolution too, she said. "The Americans are doing exactly the same thing (drawing up proposals for a new resolution)," Amos said. The Guardian newspaper said on Saturday that Britain was considering using its chairmanship of the Security Council next month to introduce a resolution as a political basis for more troops to join the security operation in Iraq. Russia and France have called for a new U.N. resolution on past-war Iraq, saying such a move would help secure greater international support for efforts to rebuild the country. Amos said the British government wanted to make it easier for countries including India, Pakistan and Turkey to join a U.N.-backed multilateral peace-keeping force. A resolution would give them the domestic cover they needed to contribute. Raise your hand if you think having Indians and Pakis patrolling in Iraq is a good idea. "There are some countries which would like to contribute to the peacekeeping effort but couldnât do that if there werenât another resolution," she told the Daily Telegraph. The Guardian said British officials were also looking at ways in which the U.N. mandate could be strengthened in respect of issues such as preparation for next yearâs election and advice on the structure of Iraqi security forces. Posted by: Steve White 2003-08-09 |
| http://www.rantburg.com/poparticle.php?ID=17448 |